TASK 2

Coherence and Cohesion Key Points

Structure your answers in logical paragraphs

One main idea per paragraph

Include an introduction and conclusion

Support main points with an explanation and then an example

Use cohesive devices accurately and appropriately

Vary your linking phrases using synonyms

Lexical Resource Key Points

Try to vary your vocabulary using accurate synonyms

Use less common question specific words that accurately convey meaning

Check your work for spelling and word formation mistakes

Grammatical Range Key Points

Use a variety of complex and simple sentences

Use a variety of appropriate structures

Check your writing for errors

task 2 essay GENERAL STRUCTURE

1. Introduction
2. 2-3 Main Body Paragraphs

3. Conclusion

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION

1. Identify the Topic Words
2. Identify Micro-Topic Words

Remember; write about the micro-topic words, not the topic in general.

3. Identify Instruction Word

Introduction
Nowadays or In modern life s the worst start

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question = using synonyms and flipping the order of the
sentences around

Paraphrasing=

Method Number 1: Using Synonyms

Method Number 2: Change the Word Order

You can also change the word order if there is an adjective or noun in the question. You do this by
simply changing the adjective into a relative clause.

Question: Learning to manage money is one of the key aspects to adult life.

Paraphrased using a relative clause: Learning to manage money is one of the aspects to adult
life that is key

Method Number 3: Change the Form of the Word

Question: Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older people suggest that
people over the age of sixty-five can continue to live full and active lives.

Paraphrased by changing word form: Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older
people are suggesting that people over the age of sixty-five can continue living full and active
lives.

Method Number 4: Change from Active to Passive

Sentence 2- Thesis Statement

How do I know what to write?

The first thing we need to do is to identify which type of question it is and look at the action
words. For example, do you agree or disagree?

T. Statement is how you feel about the whole issue in one sentence
You should start your thesis statement with:

1. (It is agreed/It is disagreed/This essay agrees/disagrees) (Opinion essays)

This essay agrees that the some famous peoples lifestyles have a detrimental effect on the
youth of today.

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Thesis Statement: This essay disagrees that the best way to resolve increasing pollution and
congestion problems is to raise the cost of fuel

2. The main cause(s) of this issue is.. (Causes and solutions)

Students are becoming more and more reliant on computers.

What are some of the problems associated with reliance on computers, and what are
some of the possible solutions?

Our thesis statement will need to state one main problem and one main solution

Students are becoming more and more reliant on computers.

What are some of the problems associated with reliance on computers, and what are some of
the possible solutions?

Our thesis statement will need to state one main problem and one main solution

3. The principal advantage(s) is (xxxxx) and the main disadvantage is (xxxxxx). (Advantage and
disadvantages).

Computers are being used more and more in education.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

In this kind of question we need to clearly state what we think the main advantage is and
what the main disadvantage is.

Thesis Statement: The principal advantage is the amount of information instantly available
to students and the main disadvantage is the lack of discipline and motivation provided by
computers.

4. For a discussion (of two points of view) essay you should state both points of view clearly.
 For this kind of question we need to clearly state both sides of the argument and state our
own opinion.

We do this by simply paraphrasing the question; thus stating both sides, and then giving our
own opinion. Our own opinion will be just one side of the argument.

Even if you favour both sides of the argument, just state one. Again, this leads to a clearer
answer.

Sentence 3- Outline Sentence (This essay will discuss.) you are now going to tell the examiner
what you will discuss in the main body paragraphs. In other words, you will outline what the
examiner will read in the rest of the essay. This should be one sentence only.

Advantages and disadvantages: this essay will first discuss the (main advantage(s)) followed by
an analysis of the (main disadvantage(s)).

Problem and Solution: This essay will analyse the principal problem(s) and offer solutions to this
issue.

Main Body Paragraph 1

the examiner wants you to respond to the question with relevant, extended and supported ideas.
This means that your ideas must actually relate, or be linked, specifically to the question and then
you have to explain what your ideas mean and then support them with examples.

You should always pick the ideas you know most about, or in other words, can explain and support
with examples.

Sentence 1- Topic Sentence one main idea

Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence

assume that the reader has no knowledge of this subject at all and you need to explain what you
mean in order for them to understand.

There are certain phrases we can use to explain our ideas such as:

That is to say. (linking)

In other words (linking)

This is because (giving reasons)

The reason is. (giving reasons)

As a result. (describing result)

 As a consequence. (describing result)

Therefore. (describing result)

Use one of these phrases to explain what your topic sentence means, the reason why, or the result
of your topic sentence. You dont need to do all three, just one. Make sure that anyone with no
knowledge of the subject can understand what your main point is

Sentence 3- Example if you cant think of a good example, make one up. In school or university you
should research and use real examples, but in the test it is fine to make them up. It is not a test of
your knowledge; it is a test of your written English

(Main Body Paragraph 2) SEE ABOVE

Conclusion
1. Never write any new ideas in your conclusion. A conclusion should always simply restate
the ideas you have in the rest of the essay. New ideas should be in the main body and not in
the conclusion.
2. Make sure you answer the question in the conclusion. The conclusion should state what
you think about the question and make it clear how you feel about the issue.

3. Vary your language. Just because you are restating the ideas you have in the rest of your
essay, doesnt mean you use the same language. Instead you show the examiner you have a
wide vocabulary by paraphrasing.

4. Dont try to include everything. You are not required to go into detail, you have already
done that in your main body paragraphs. Instead you will just summarise your main points.

5. Always write one. It is very difficult to get a good score in task 2 if you havent finished your
essay with a conclusion. Even if you are running out of time, make sure you write one.

6. Two sentences are enough

Sentence 1- Summary and opinion

In conclusion
To conclude

There are two elements to a good conclusion:

1. Restating the main points of your essay

2. Varying your vocabulary by paraphrasing

Luckily we have already stated our main points in the introduction, so all we have to do is look back
at the conclusion and paraphrase this.
We can also add a prediction (what we think will happen) or a recommendation (what we think
should happen) to our conclusion.

5 types of IELTS Writing Task 2

1 Opinion (Agree or Disagree)

Direct question : What is your opinion?

Do you agree or disagree?

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

STEPS:

1. WE AGREE OR DISAGREE.
2. IDEA GENERATION: WRITE IDEAS AND PICK UP 2 FOR THE PARAGRAPHS

The best structure you can use for this type of essay is:

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question: SEE ABOVE

Sentence 2- Thesis Statement: our opinion in one sentence (This essay

agrees that)

Sentence 3- Outline Statement (what you will write about in the main body paragraphs)

Firstly, this essay will discuss. and secondly, discuss

Paragraph 2- Supporting Paragraph 1

Sentence 1- Topic Sentence: A topic sentence tells the examiner what the rest of the
paragraph is about. In other words, it is a summary of your first idea.

Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence

 Sentence 3/4- Example

Paragraph 3- Supporting Paragraph 2

Sentence 1- Topic Sentence

Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence

Sentence 3/4- Example

Paragraph 4- Conclusion.

Sentence 1- Summary of main points

Sentence 2- Your opinion

Dont write any new ideas in this paragraph.

2 Advantages and Disadvantages

Typical Question Words

A Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for simple structure in which the student will
look at the advantages in one paragraph and the disadvantages in the other.

B Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? we will have to decide which side
(advantages or disadvantages) is stronger and this will affect our structure. If you choose
advantages then you will have to say why these are much stronger than the disadvantages
and why the disadvantages dont hold much weight. You would also have to make this clear
in your thesis statement.

C Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion. a paragraph for
advantages and disadvantages, but also having a clear position on the statement.

Structure OF A B C

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question

Sentence 2- Thesis statement (state which one outweighs the other) This essay will argue
that the advantages of this outweigh the drawbacks. The essay will first demonstrate
that. followed by an analysis of how the primary disadvantage, namely ., is not valid.

Sentence 2- Thesis statement (your opinion) This essay will show that this is

Sentence 2/3- Outline Sentence : This essay will firstly discuss/suggest as one of the main
advantages of this and secondly, outline/ as one of the main disadvantages./ followed by..

Main Body Paragraph 1 +C

Sentence 1- State One Advantage:

One of the principle advantages of is.

The main benefit x bring to y is

Sentence 2- Expand/Explain Advantage

Sentence 3- Example A prime example of this is

Main Body Paragraph 2 +C

Sentence 1- State One Disadvantage The main disadvantage associated with ..is..

One possible drawback is that

Sentence 2- Expand/Explain Disadvantage

Sentence 3- Example For instance, The Sunday Times recently reported that

Main Body Paragraph 3 (Opinion) C

Overall, it is

Sentence 10- Explain opinion

Sentence 11- Explain or give example

STRONGER SIDE (B)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence The main reason to

Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong That is to say that

Sentence 6- Example

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence also.

Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side) why is weak(B) Those opposed to

this say that .

However, there is actually no evidence to support this view

Conclusion A

Sentence 1- Summary: In conclusion.

Conclusion B

Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position. On balance, the fact
that x leads to x clearly outweighs y

Conclusion

Sentence 12 Summary of main points

3 Problem and Solution

Typical Question Words

Problem and solution.

Cause and solution

We analyze the question by thinking about three things:

Keywords words that tell us what the general topic is

 micro-keywords Micro-keywords identify which part of the general topic the examiner wants
you to talk about. They often give an opinion, qualify the statement or talk about a sub-category

action words what the examiner wants us to do.

Structure
Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question

Sentence 2- Outline Sentence This essay will discuss one of the main problems associated with x and
suggest a viable solution.

It should be noted that this introduction does not contain a thesis statement. Sometimes examiners
do ask you for your opinion

Main Body Paragraph 1

Sentence 1- State Problem The principal problem with x.is y./ The foremost problem
caused by x is y

Sentence 2- Explain problem

Sentence 3- Result Nowthat we have explained what our main point is we need to
explain why this is a problem. First, explain the what and then the why.

Sentence 4- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2

Sentence 1- State Solution A solution to this worrying problem is

A possible solution to this problem would be

Sentence 2- Explain Solution explain how our solution will help solve the problem

Sentence 3- Example

Conclusion

Sentence 1- Summary In summary, one of the main problems with x is y and this can be solved
through z.
Sentence 2- Recommendation or Prediction It is predicted that

4 Discussion (Discuss both view)

Typical Question Words

Discuss both points of view and give your opinion.

Discuss both sides of the argument and give your opinion.

the main arguments for this statement

Structure
Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question

Sentence 2- Thesis Statement : state both viewpoints: It is often argued that this is , whilst others
disagree and think ..

Sentence 3- Outline Sentence This essay agrees that X is beneficial to Y. This essay will discuss
both points of view.

Main Body Paragraph 1

Sentence 1- State first viewpoint It is clear that

Sentence 2- Discuss first viewpoint Moreover,

Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint It is therefore agreed that

Sentence 4- Example to support your view

Main Body Paragraph 2

Sentence 1- State second viewpoint However, many disagree and feel that ..

Sentence 2- Discuss second viewpoint

Sentence 3- Reason why you disagree with viewpoint Despite this, . this essay disagrees
for this reason

Sentence 4- Example to support your view For instance, ..

Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary

Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important